You Need Me
by Keiko Aosaki
Summary: G1 Red Alert and Starscream spend some time together. slashy fluff ensues.


In case you couldn't tell, I'm obsessed with G1 Inferno & Red Alert and Red Alert & Starscream. This is just an extension of my madness. Originally a contest entry for Sin-tember , this takes place a sometime after Fanatical Delusions - which is still being worked on cuz I want it to be a good read 

**You Need Me**  
_by AosakiKeiko_

Red Alert stood upon the cliffside gazing out over the valley as the sun set upon the horizon. His arms crossed firmly across his chest, he stood rigidly as he recalled his reason for being out so far from base. Very little time had passed since Red Alert was reinstated back to full duty. Red Alert had been pulled from the active duty roster ever since his arduous time with Starscream. The transition from inactive to active status should not have bothered him so much, but he knew why: the other Autobots. He heard the talks, whispers, and rumors. He knew that they all talked about his little time with Starscream, he knew he was the biggest joke throughout the entire Ark.

As Inferno had put it, he had been acting like a cat on a hot tin roof - whatever that meant. The big fire engine had tried to comfort the sports car and assuage his worries, but every time he and Inferno were alone together, Red Alert became skittish as a mouse and pushed Inferno back. That morning Inferno had finally decided to confront him about it. They argued a little and said things that neither mech really meant, then Red Alert finally retreated for some time alone, trying to sort out his feelings.

That's why he was outside the Ark, ignoring his own security measures, he just had to get away. He heard the heavy footsteps behind him and he tensed. Had Inferno come for him already? Red Alert didn't move, pretended not to acknowledge him. Red was still a little upset from their little spat that morning. When he felt the powerful arms around him he sighed, leaned into the embrace, and smirked.

"That's not going to work this time, Inferno."

"And who are you calling Inferno, you Autobot dolt!"

Red Alert turned his head sharply and his jaw dropped in shock. "S-Starscream?! But how-"

"I followed you."

"B-but how-"

"From the sky, you dim-witted tin can."

Red Alert instantly began to twist within the seeker's arms, pulling and pushing against him. "Let me go!"

"Not so fast, Autobot, hear me out."

"No! I remember the last time I listened to you! I'll never listen to you again!"

Starscream tightened his grip and nuzzled the Autobot's shoulder strut. "Just shut up, Red! I want to talk, just talk."

Red Alert ceased his struggling to a bare minimum and frowned curiously. "Talk?"

--

The sports car knew better than to trust the jet, but he sat beside him anyway. "What do you want?" Was the first thing Red could hear himself say.

"I want nothing, just thought I'd visit an old partner."

Red frowned and leaned in close, trying to discern Starscream's expression. "Liar, why don't you start off by telling me why you're here."

"I was in the area, that's all."

"Liar."

The jet passed him a momentary glance. "So what's a sorry-looking Autobot like yourself doing out here all alone?"

"Nothing."

Starscream smiled all-knowingly. "Have a fight with your precious lover; Inferno?"

Red Alert's head jerked up. "W-what? Me?" He quickly shook his head and lowered his gaze, his optics shifting from his clasped hands to Starscream. "N-no, never…"

"Sure."

An awkward silence fell upon them and Red wrung his hands nervously. "D-did you get into another scrape with Megatron?" Red raised a hand and cautiously brushed a finger across a crack upon Starscream's cheek. As Red's hand retreated, Starscream grabbed his wrist and held it firmly. "Hey!"

"Funny, now that you mention it, that pompous fool and I did have - Oh, how shall I put it? - a fight of sorts." He slowly kissed each fingertip, making the Autobot shiver. "I take to the air to blow off some steam and I find you, in a similar mess."

"I'm in no mess," Red responded, frowning as Starscream kissed his hand. "In fact," he twisted his hand away from Starscream and scooted away, rising swiftly to his feet. "I was just leaving when you came along."

Starscream clambered to his feet and spun Red around. "Why leave when it's so obvious we still need each other?"

"That's reason enough, now unhand me!"

Starscream jerked him close, catching Red with a kiss. Red Alert pushed away from him and punched him hard across the face. "I'm serious! It's over, let it go!"

Unfazed, the seeker could tell that it was going to take a lot to persuade the Autobot this time. He clutched at the Autobot's shoulder. "Come on, Red, just for a little while?"

"No!"

"You need this, Red!"

"I need you like I need a hole in the head."

"That can be arranged," Starscream spat, raising his arm-mounted laser, the barrel tapping upon Red's jaw. "Now just make like a goody-good Autobot and do as you're told!"

"Wh-what do you think you're…" The barrel prodded at his jaw, forcing Red Alert to tilt his head back. "…doing?"

"Taking control, Autobot. Now, get down on the ground."

"N-no!"

"No?"

"I-I can't do this to Inferno! I won't cheat on him again!"

"Let me help you forget him…" Starscream lowered his canon and pulled Red in close. He brushed his lip components over Red's cheek. "Just for a little while."

Red whimpered and turned his head away. "No."

"No one will have to know." He caressed Red's shoulder tires and upper arms, tracing his fingertips along his door panels, eliciting a low moan from the sports car. "What do you say, Autobot?"

"No…" Red whispered, working his hands at Starscream's chest, trying to push him away. "Let go! Quit trying to manipulate me!"

All it took was one kiss to still Red's mouth, another to coax him to kiss back, and a delicious third time to loosen his jaw and allow Starscream entry. Starscream pulled the rescue vehicle closer to his body, car hood to jet cockpit, and clutched Red Alert's helm as his kissed the Autobot deeply.

"We shouldn't," Red Alert gasped, parting mouths.

"Why not, Autobot?" Starscream kissed the length of his jaw. "Tell me that you don't want this and I'll stop." A frenzied path of kisses traced their way along Red's neck, teasing the cords and sensors embedded beneath the thin metallic skin. "Say it and mean it."

"Oh!" Red threw his head back and gripped tightly onto the seeker's arms. "How-"

"Speak, Autobot!"

"H-how are you d-doing this to me?"

The jet smirked as he licked a path along the white and red hood of the sports car. "Shall I keep going?"

With a nod and a delirious glaze across his optics, Red Alert gasped. "Y-yeah…"

"Beg me to."

"What? No, I-"

Starscream sat up and wiggled his fingers into Red Alert's armor, searching for easy access to sensitive cables at the joints. "Demand it, Red!"

The rescue vehicle clenched his jaw, fighting to cling to coherency. Starscream touched just the right spot and Red Alert jerked, all rational thought tossed into oblivion. "Please Starscream!!"

--

Long after their loveless passion was over, they simply lay beneath the night sky. Red lay face down over his elbows, his face pressed into his hands, his thoughts swirling between Starscream and Inferno. His body shuddered as he tried to figure out this mess he put himself into this time.

Starscream rolled over and his arm surrounded Red Alert's waist. "Planning to escape," the jet teased, giving the Autobot a rough squeeze before leaning in to steal a kiss.

Red Alert frowned and quickly pushed his previous thoughts aside. "You flew all the way out here for this?"

"I told you," he spoke against Red's mouth, "I needed time to think."

"You can admit it you know," Red mumbled between kisses. "You were looking for me."

"And you were staring forlornly at the sky for no reason," Starscream countered, his optics dimmed shrewdly. "Why can't you just admit that you need me?"

"I don't."

Red Alert wrapped his arms around Starscream's middle and met the seeker's mouth softly. The Decepticon embraced him tightly, and with one quick nip of his mouth upon Red Alert's, made it painfully apparent who was in control. Red released a troubled sigh through his vents - Even if Inferno never found out about this, he was so sure he was going to the pit for this.

"We'll see what you say next time."

"N-next time??"

Fin


End file.
